Cricket
by SStar Luna
Summary: Written in response to the Quidditch challenge at sirry slash on LJ and inspired from Wacca's fantastic artwork! Harry tries to teach Sirius about playing cricket. HPSB


Title: **Cricket**

Rating: **R**

Spoilers: **Not really. Could be considered AU I imagine.**

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

"So what is this thing called again?" Sirius asked.

"It's a bat," Harry patiently replied.

Sirius looked confused. "A beater's bat?" he asked. "It's a bit of a funny shape for that, isn't it?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's cricket, Sirius."

"I _know _that!" the older man replied.

"Could have fooled me," Harry shot back. "All you've done is bitch about how Quidditch is superior."

"Quidditch _is _superior," Sirius whined.

"Well I know that and you know that," Harry replied. "At least try to give cricket a chance!"

"It's really weird though," Sirius complained. "You stand about waiting for the ball to come at you and you have to stand in a particular way and hit the ball as far away as possible."

"Sounds like a Beater's job," Harry commented.

Sirius frowned as he tugged at the starched collar. "I do not just hit a Bludger will nilly. There is skill involved there."

Harry chuckled. "Of course there is Sirius. I wouldn't imply otherwise."

Grey eyes narrowed. "Are you humouring me?"

Harry plastered an innocent look on his face. "Me? Would do such a thing?"

"Yes."

"Bugger," Harry replied with a smirk. "You know me so well."

"I should bloody well hope so," Sirius replied. "You are living with me."

"Sharing your bed," Harry agreed.

"Too right," Sirius said smugly.

Harry snorted. "You'd keep me tied to my bed given half the chance!"

"Of course I would," Sirius shot back. "Best place for you."

Harry slowly shook his head as Sirius' grey eyes glazed over. He could easily imagine what Sirius was thinking and he suspected that he would be finding out very soon. That very night if Sirius' former behaviour was to be expected.

Harry shook himself out of his illicit thoughts. Now was not a time for them. Not with a fast moving cricket ball being aimed at his own ... balls. Concentration was needed. It would be an achievement to get his lover to pay attention. Harry went for the abrupt option.

"Ow!" Sirius exclaimed. "What the fuck was that for?"

"Stop drooling over me," Harry snapped. There was a moment of silence. "I can't believe I just said that."

Sirius was still rubbing the side of his head. "Did you have to clip my ear?"

"I needed your attention."

"Couldn't you have got it another way?" Sirius complained. "I don't know. Maybe like kissing me ... or perhaps a blowjob?"

Harry's tone was incredulous. "Here?"

"Why not?" Sirius replied. "We've done it outside before."

"Sirius, the others will be here soon and you still need to learn how to play the game," Harry chastised.

"Do I have to?" Sirius whined.

"Do you want to sleep in our bed tonight?" Harry shot back.

Sirius shook his head, black hair falling into his eyes. He impatiently brushed it away and turned to look at his lover. "Just where the hell did you learn to play cricket anyway?"

"School."

Harry's tone indicated that he didn't want to further discuss the matter and Sirius let him be. Instead the Harry went through the rules of the game and how Sirius should protect the stumps behind him once more.

"So I hold my bat like this?" Sirius asked.

"If you were playing rounders maybe," Harry replied. "The bat should be upright and the flat side facing the bowler."

Sirius moved the wooden bat into the described position. "Like this?"

"Yes," Harry affirmed. "However, you can't have your legs like that. That would likely be called out as a Leg Before Wicket."

Sirius frowned. "What the hell?"

"Your legs are protecting the stumps behind you," Harry patiently explained.

"Isn't that the idea?" Sirius shot back. "Since I'm out if that ruddy ball hits that arrangement of wood behind me."

"Sirius, look at where you're standing and imagine a cricket ball coming at you from the other end," Harry explained. "Where will the ball be aimed and what part of you is directly in the path?"

Sirius winced. "Right then. Moving legs."

Harry tried to bite back his smirk but failed. "Good."

"What if I put a sticking charm on those pieces of wood," Sirius suggested.

"Wickets."

"Pardon?" came Sirius' non-plussed reply.

"Those pieces of wood are called the wicket," Harry explained. "As for that suggestion? No."

"Just no?" Sirius replied.

"It's not at all fair, don't you think?" Harry asked.

Sirius shrugged. "You point being?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you turning into a Slytherin or something?" he asked. "Perhaps you've been spending too much time with Snape."

Sirius gaped. It took several seconds for the shock to pass. "Did you just..."

"Compare you to Snape?" Harry finished. "Yes ... although it seems harsh, that suggestion would have fit in right at home with the Slytherins."

"I can't believe you just compared me to Snape!" Sirius replied.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Get over it already."

"I should make you sleep on the couch," Sirius threatened.

"You'd end up joining me on the couch and at some point during the night, you'd fall off and end up sleeping on the wooden floor," Harry explained. "Of course, you'd spend the rest of the day moaning about your sore back."

Sirius huffed. "Insolent brat."

"Snape," Harry whispered under his breath.

Sirius' head shot up and he looked towards Harry with suspicion in his grey eyes. Harry's own green ones blinked innocently at his lover, who after a long look, shook his head and turned back to the cricket bat.

"Fancy a go at hitting the ball?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Sirius replied. "Why not. I think I can give it a good whack."

Harry grinned at his lover and made his way to the other end of the ground. He looked back towards Sirius who was swinging his bat about slightly to judge the balance of the bat. Finally, once Harry had moved a sufficient distance away for his run-up, he turned around and faced Sirius.

The ball was gripped in his right hand and he moved it down to his leg to rub the red leather clean. It also gave the benefit of heating up the leather-covered ball, which in turn would speed the ball through the air. Harry was ready, the red ball warm in his palm.

Harry began to run towards the nearest set of stumps. As he grew closer, Harry moved his arm backwards until he was mere feet away from the wicket. His right arm swung forwards and he released the ball. It impacted on the dry ground and bounced.

The next sound that Harry heard was the leather ball hitting the wicket. Harry's chest swelled although his shoulders slumped.

Sirius had missed.

Green eyes focused on the older man and Harry frowned at the expression on Sirius' face. The older man looked dumbfounded and shocked, yet Harry could also see the telltale look of arousal in those familiar eyes.

"Sirius?" Harry asked in a worried tone. "What's wrong?"

Sirius blinked. "You ... when you ... you were..."

Harry's anxiety grew. "Complete sentences would help here Sirius. I don't understand what you're saying."

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to his the ball after you stood there rubbing it into your crotch!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I did no such thing!" Harry shot back.

"Like hell you didn't," Sirius replied, waving a hand towards Harry. "The marks are there on your trousers!"

Harry looked down at Sirius' gestures. "I was cleaning the ball," he explained.

"Well use a cloth next time!" Sirius suggested. "It would stop me from looking at _that _particular area when I'm meant to be focusing."

Harry's lips twitched. "You didn't?" he asked.

"I don't know how the fuck you expect me to hit the bloody ball when all I can see if you wanking yourself with the ball," Sirius complained. "I could see every bloody thing!"

"Oh dear," Harry replied lamely. "You're going to be useless aren't you? All your concentration will be aimed at leering up the other side."

"Now Quidditch is a sport where you don't have this problem," Sirius explained, flourishing his cricket bat in the air.

"Of course not," Harry deadpanned. "Men and women with a hard wood in between their legs. No implications with that at all."

The cricket ground echoed with the sound of Harry's laughter, Sirius joining in a moment later. The two dark-haired men closed the gap and their laughter ceased as their lips met in a heated kiss.

Sirius never did like cricket that much, but he had to admit that watching Harry preparing to bowl more than made up for it all. However, both men agreed that night in their bed, that Quidditch was the more superior sport.

I am working on **Turn Back Time**. Really I am … just time is severely limited right at the moment with work but as Jenn, Sophie and others will tell you, I do work on it! I'll get back to it after I write my secret santa gifts for this year.

Comments appreciated.

**_SStar_**


End file.
